There is widespread release of hazardous and environmentally disadvantageous organic chemicals and biohazardous agents into the natures water supplies. For examples, contamination of underground water with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) resulting from the leakage of gasoline storage tanks has resulted in the urgent need for effective and economical separation and removal of this carcinogenic agent from water reservoirs and other water streams. Important examples of other hazardous or environmentally disadvantageous organic chemicals and biohazardous agents include pesticides used in agriculture. Pesticides also end up in water reservoirs and water streams through water run off in the process of irrigation. Hazardous chemicals produced in chemical plants, or toxic byproducts produced during processes of refining oil, are among other examples of liquid waste including hazardous chemicals. Most of the hazardous chemicals generated in oil refineries, for instance, are stored on site; some are released with the non-hazardous waste either inadvertently, or due to the lack of regulations, perhaps in the absence of effective, efficient and economically viable separation/removal techniques. These toxic chemical contaminants are usually found in aqueous or organic solutions in relatively low, but nevertheless hazardous concentration. By removing these low concentration contaminants, the solution then can be released into the waste stream safely, or recycled.
Biohazardous agents, such as viruses and bacterial contaminated solutions are sometimes released into the sewage systems by hospitals, research laboratories, and biotechnology organizations. Although most of these contaminants are destroyed as a result of being exposed to a relatively harsh environment in the sewage treatment system. However, many viruses and bacterium will survive the sewage treatment cycle and can pose a real health threat. Hepatitis virus and Escherichia coli bacteria for instance are among such biohazardous agents. It is therefore advantageous to develop methods to remove biohazardous agents from liquid contaminated waste solutions. Following the removal process, the decontaminated liquids are rendered non-hazardous and can then be discarded as regular non-hazardous waste.
It must be noted that the disposal or storage of large volumes of low level liquid hazardous chemicals or biohazardous agents is particularly expensive and difficult without first concentrating and extracting these agents from the liquid waste stream. There is a demonstrated need for effective and comparatively inexpensive methods to remove these hazardous chemicals or biohazardous agents in concentrated form from liquid waste solutions. When this is accomplished, the concentrated hazardous chemicals or biohazardous agents can more easily be destroyed rendering the remaining waste non-hazardous. The expense associated with the disposal of concentrated liquid hazardous waste removed from the liquid waste stream is markedly decreased.